Alright, so a little bit of history: June 30th was designated Social Media Day by Mashable. They wanted “a day to celebrate the changes in media that have empowered us to stay connected to information in real time, the tools that have enabled us to communicate from miles apart, and the platforms that have given a voice to the voiceless”.

Over 600 meetups were organized across the world, and here in Phoenix the folks that put together Social Media AZ, and Social Media Club Phoenix came together to organize this event. They even set up Skype to connect with a Tucson group also celebrating Social Media Day in AZ.

At the event there was a band, Bears of Manitou, lots of prizes like Mill Ave bucks, Go Daddy gift cards, and even prizes donated by Smashburger. Attendees were encouraged to share their social media stories and experiences, in essence an in-person tweet about how social media has helped you in your everyday lives (both personal and professional). We listened to social media users who had met their boyfriends through social media, received jobs, won prizes like an $1100 computer (via @WesleyTech), became more involved in their community because of social media (via @JackAlert), and one story about how social media has been used to recruit employees through the use of sites like LinkedIn and Twitter.

Another example? Our very own Abby Gilmore was introduced to us through social media. She first started following Elise (@RedlinCook) on Twitter, showed up at a local #Buzzcation event after hearing about it on Twitter, won a $1,000 scholarship in our SEO Poem contest promoted on Facebook and Twitter, became a Vertical Measures Intern after seeing it promoted on YouTube, and now is a permanent staffer.

As you can see there are many amazing stories that all involve social media, bringing online users together into one HUGE community.

What is your social media story? Share your story with us in the comments below, or share your experiences if you attended the celebration in Phoenix (or your own city).